Equine Massage

LESSON SEVEN

I.    Safety

II.    Body Mechanics

III.    Massaging the Horse

I. SAFETY

       Safety for you, the horse, other people and animals in the vicinity has to be your first priority.  You do not want to be responsible for injury to the horse you’ll be massaging or to others.  It is your responsibility to be aware of your surroundings. Three reasons a therapist may choose not to massage a horse may include:  Horse is under the care of a veterinarian, the horse has been given a sedative or muscle relaxant, or the horse is considered dangerous.

SAFETY FOR THE HORSE

      First you have to decide how to restrain the horse.  You need to know if it ties RELIABLY.  If so, does it do so just on a single rope or in cross-ties as well?  If the horse does not tie reliably it will need to be held by someone.

      Next, you need to decide where to tie the horse.  You do not want to tie to a tree or a free standing pole.  The horse is going to move during the massage and you don’t want it circling a tree or pole, winding itself up short.  The best place is the corner of a stall where it can only move 90 degrees.  The outside of a stall or a fence line where it can move 180 degrees will also work.

      Cross-ties work well as long as the aisle is not too wide and the cross-ties are not attached too high on the walls. If either of these is the case, the horse could turn around in the cross-ties and this can be dangerous.  Wherever you tie the horse, try to position it in such a way that it can see what’s going on.

      Try to keep distractions to a minimum.  A distracted horse can be difficult.  Dogs and young children are particularly distracting.  But one of the biggest distractions will be flies and other insects.  I ask owners to spray the horse.

    If you object to working on a horse that has been sprayed with insect repellent, you might bring some of your own that you’re comfortable with.  But if you do, be sure to get the owner’s permission to use it—some horses are very sensitive to different kinds of sprays.

    Because it is important for the horse to be aware of the changes occurring in its body during the massage, I don’t let the horse eat hay or other foods while I’m working on it; this can be a major distraction.  However, on some few occasions, I have worked on horses that were so hyper-sensitive about their bodies they seemed ready to climb out of their skins.  In these cases, I agreed to allow them hay to divert their attention away from their bodies in their first massage session.

     The horse is going to move around during the massage, this is part of the process.    Move buckets, tack trunks, stools, etc. out of any areas where the horse might move.  Keep dogs, cats and other animals away.  If the horse is standing in the barn aisle, make sure that other horses can’t reach out and annoy it.

      My preference when working on a horse is to use a regular leather or nylon halter rather than a rope halter.  I like the stability they offer, especially when I’m working on the neck and head.

      Because horses will move around during their massage, they will occasionally step on one front foot with the other.  Over the years, I have had two horses pull a shoe during a massage.  If a horse has front shoes or long, built-up feet and you’re concerned about this, you might ask the owner to put bell boots on them.

     Even with an apparently good natured horse, someone who knows the horse well should be there during the first sessions.  In addition to the safety factor, they can often give odd pieces of information that will have a bearing on the horse’s problems.  Later, when you and the horse are comfortable together, you can work without someone in attendance, but there should always be someone close by.  

      DO NOT WORK ALONE WITH STRANGE HORSES.

      Any tools or equipment you use should be clean and disinfected.  In addition to the tools that I use on the horse, I also carry with me a leather muzzle, bell boots, longe line, longe whip and insect repellent (for people and horses).  All of this is equipment that you might have a need for and can’t be sure it will be available.

      Be aware of the surface the horse will be standing on.  Try to avoid slick surfaces where the horse might slip—rubber mats, dirt or shaving are the safest.

SAFETY FOR OTHER PEOPLE AND ANIMALS

1. Ask that other animals (horses, dogs, cats, etc.) be kept away.  If they make the horse nervous, it could kick or react in some way.

2. Be sure that other people are not where they could get stepped on or kicked as the horse moves around.  Also, other people standing close to you and the horse could interfere with your ability to move freely and cause you to get stepped on or hurt.

3. Horses are sensitive to the emotions of the people around them.  Some owners will fuss, touch and worry over their horses as you’re doing the massage.  Explain that it’s difficult for a horse to divide its attention between two people touching it at the same time.  Ask the owner to sit somewhere away from the horse unless you need their help.

II. BODY MECHANICS

      Though the intent of  massage is to relieve soreness and tightness in the muscle structure, in order for it to be effective at doing so on a permanent basis (not just temporary relief) the pressure will often be uncomfortable before it feels better, especially when you’re applying pressure to areas that are already sore.  Horses will use a wide range of body language to tell the person doing the massage how it is feeling about the area they’re working in, the touch and the pressure.

     The first signs of discomfort may be as subtle as the twitch of an ear or a turn of the head.  The horse might pick up a foot and threaten to kick.  The more sensitive you are to these little signs, the less the horse will feel the need to over-react in order to call attention to its discomfort. Being aware of the little signs allows you to adjust to the horse’s tolerance level before it starts to over-react.

     Though the greater majority of horses that you work with will give you very little difficulty, remember that many of these horses are hurting and can be defensive.  Some of them will try to kick and bite.

     With all of the above in mind, how you use your body when doing massage becomes very important for your safety.  Also, your body mechanics can be the cause of stresses and strains that affect your health and soundness; this is particularly true of your hands.

      In human massage schools, students are taught how to keep their bodies sound and functioning properly as they massage other people.  In massaging horses, this is just as important, and there are some aspects of your body mechanics that I want to bring to your attention.  

They are:

1. Using your hands

2. Using your body weight

3. Placement of your feet

      Care of your hands is very important; it is one of the reasons why I use some grooming tools in my work.  They give me greater leverage and depth when I need it without putting undue strain on my hands.  Using the heel of your hand, your fist or elbow whenever possible will also help preserve your fingers, particularly your thumbs.

     A regular routine of stretching your hands can help relieve strain; but even better would be regular maintenance massage for yourself, with extra emphasis on your hands.

     During a massage I usually have two hands on the horse at all times.  Even if only one hand is doing work, the other will be giving me information about reactions in the horse’s body.  It gives me a contact point to feel the horse’s movement, where it’s going and what it’s going to do.  If you have this contact point and the horse moves toward you, it will push you with it instead of running over the top of you.  The contact between the two of you is like ballroom dancing—you move together because you’re connected.

      If I’m using both hands to do the body work, I will often lean my head or shoulder against the horse’s body to get that same information and contact point.  This is especially true when working on the chest and upper legs.

      Using your body weight to support your hands and arms is another way to increase your effectiveness and relieve the hands and arms of much strain.  Put you body weight behind your pressure, leaning either from your feet of hip joints.  Your force should go up through your legs, hip joints and torso and, finally, through your arms and hands.  Your body weight should support your arms.  If you’re muscular and somewhat tall, it’s easy to fall into the habit of just using your arms, pushing just from your shoulders.  But it’s better for your body if you stand with your feet away from the horse and lean your weight behind your arms.  It’s also safer for your feet.

      When you’re doing massage on a horse, you’re usually going to be much closer contact with it than under normal circumstances like grooming and tacking-up; it’s easier to get stepped on.

      Horses step where they lean their weight.  When a horse leans its body in a direction, it will then move a foot in that direction to catch its balance—the feet go where they need to be in order to support the body.  So, even though your hands on the horse’s body will usually give you warning that the horse is going to move, it’s also a good idea to keep your eyes on their feet.  Their body will tell you they’re going to move, but it won’t necessarily tell you where they’re going to put their feet.  If you use your peripheral vision you can see all four feet at the same time and still see where you’re working.

      Keep your feet separated, with one foot behind the other as much as possible.  Keep most of your weight on the foot farthest from the horse.  This allows you to move your other foot quickly and easily if the horse steps toward you.  If you’re standing in front of a horse, stand with your feet wide apart in case the horse steps forward.  Wear sturdy shoes, but I don’t recommend steel-toed shoes.

      A horse that is hurting or sore may try to kick when touched.  Most horses will just threaten and, through your hands, you can usually feel it coming.  I will feel it just as the leg start to move and I’ve found that a light slap on the horse’s back with the flat of my hand (one that makes a noise) will usually defuse the kick.

      If a horse is inclined to kick, it will usually do so when you’re working on the belly, groin or stifle.  If the horse is really touchy about these areas, you may decide to leave them for another session, after the horse is more comfortable with what you’re doing.  If a horse indicates it does not want me to work in that area in the first session, they will usually let me do so in the second session, but, with a few horses, I have had to wait for the third session.

      When working around the stifle and groin, I will often have my forearm or hand resting in front of the stifle or just above it.  If I feel the horse start to lift the leg I can put downward pressure on the stifle and stop the kick.

      Horses that really intend to kick don’t usually give a lot of warning; they don’t threaten.  The kick seems to come out of nowhere.  But these horses usually do tell you to watch out way in advance.  With these horses, you’ll know almost immediately, when you first meet them, that they are going to be difficult—their body language will give you fair warning.

     Horses that try to bite are another problem you may encounter.  This will usually happen when you’re working on horses with sore shoulders and necks.  Normally, I’ll just deflect the attempt by reaching up and gently touching their face, or push their face away.  If they get a little more aggressive, I’ll put my elbow up and let them run into it or have the owner hold the head.  But if the horse is very persistent it can get to be a distraction to the body work.  I worked on young thoroughbred race horses for four years and used a leather muzzle on many of them.  In that way they could bring their heads around and “talk to me” and I didn’t have to worry or react.  I still carry one in my box and do have a need for it occasionally.

     Horses that strike can be dangerous, but they’re rare, and are usually stallions.  In the four years of working on the young race horses only two ever tried to strike, and they were both incredibly sore in their shoulders.  Be very careful when working on horses that want to strike; or you may choose not to work on them.  

      On a few rare occasions, I have agreed to work on horses that have been sedated.  It’s not an ideal situation, but the horses needed help and it made it safe for me (these were usually race horses).  Horses that might strike could fall in this category.

     There are other safety factors that will come up when massaging the different areas of a horse’s body, but I’ll discuss them when describing the work on those areas.

SUMMARY OF YOUR BODY USE AND SAFETY

1. Support your arms and hands with your body weight.

2. Keep two hands on the horse—one gives information while the other works.

3. Be aware of where your feet are and how you can move them quickly.

4. Know how to deal with horses that kick

5. Know how to deal with horses that bite

6. Know how to deal with horses that strike

III. MASSAGING THE HORSE

     This section will take you through a full body massage.  There are several diagrams that go with this lesson.  They show the horse’s body divided into various areas.  These areas are labeled and there is an accompanying description that describes the following:

        1. the important muscles in these various areas

        2. what these muscles do

        3. massage techniques that are the most effective for the area

        4. other pertinent information applicable to the area

      I focus on areas of the body rather than on specific individual muscles because your massage will rarely affect just one muscle.  Muscles occur in layers and overlap one another.  Some muscles are very thin, so it is easy to be affecting deeper muscles as well as the more superficial ones.

     With each area I will refer you to pages and diagrams in two anatomy books that were on the recommended list for this course.  In this way you will be able to see the various layers of muscles, how they overlay one another and interact.  This is also a way to get a good review of the skeletal and muscular anatomy from lesson two.

     I will give you reference pages in “Horse Anatomy—A coloring Atlas.   If you have other anatomy books, use them as well.  All anatomy books will have slightly different ways of showing the same muscles and structures.  Cross-referencing among them will give a more complete picture.

     I will be describing a progression from one area to another for a full body massage that starts with the horse’s back, goes into the hindquarters, works forward through the belly line into the shoulders and neck and finally finishes with work on the poll, head and jaw. My preference is to start massage with the head and neck, then progress to the shoulders, back, hind quarters, adductors, ribs and belly line.  

Either is a good progression if you’re doing a full body massage for relaxation or maintenance.  If you’re massaging a horse that has specific problems, you will not necessarily follow that progression.  After having taken a history of the horse and made an evaluation of its structure and movement, you will have a sense of where the most obvious problem is.  After loosening up the back, you will proceed to that area.

PRESSURE IN YOUR MASSAGE

      How much pressure do you use?   All massage requires pressure; how much pressure depends upon the type of massage you.  You always have to get a response from the muscle.

       In relaxation massage, the response you want will only affect superficial muscle tension.  Your pressure would be smooth and gliding; it should not cause discomfort and a horse’s responses will be to relax, sigh, soften the eyes and chew.

     Other kinds of massage will need more pressure in order to be successful.  These other types of massage will be working on muscles at a deeper level and dealing with muscles that may be tight and sore from injuries, chronic stress and over-use.  In order to relieve this soreness and tightness, the pressure will need to be enough reach the deeper muscles, separate the bound-up muscle fibers and reset the tension in the neurological component of the muscles.

      How do you know if you’re using enough pressure, too much pressure or too little?

       Effective pressure (the right amount) has to make a change in a muscle.  The change we’re looking for is that the muscle yields to the pressure you’re using.  When the horse yields, it will do so by moving away from that pressure.  With extremely tight muscles, you will have to use a lot of pressure.  If the horse is very sore, it will only take a small amount of pressure to cause the horse to yield and move.  In both cases, if the horse yields to the pressure, it was effective pressure whether you had to use a lot or only very little.  At first the horse will make big movements.  As soreness and tightness diminish, the “away” movement will simply be the muscles softening and yielding to your touch.

       If a horse is very sore, and you continue to push even as the horse is flinching and moving away, you’ve held the pressure too long.  The most effective pressure for very sore horses is “press and release”.  As soon as the horse gives a response, you release the pressure.  You keep repeating this press/release sequence, moving over the sore area until the horse’s responses become quiet releases and yields to your finger tips.

      Muscle density plays a large part in how much pressure you need to use in your massage.  Horses with heavy, dense muscles will require a lot more pressure than lighter muscled horses such as Arabs or Thoroughbreds.  In a heavy muscled, tight horse, if you get no response to your pressure, then the pressure is not enough and is, therefore, ineffective.

      In human massage, effective pressure is often described as being “a good hurt”.  Horse’s bodies seem to also understand this concept.  Experiment with pressure; don’t be afraid of hurting the horse—it will tell you if you’ve gone too far; and all you have to do is release the pressure and the discomfort is gone.  But you’ll never know how far to go if you don’t experiment.   

THE MASSAGE

      I start my massage with the long back muscles.  The back is the connection between the forehand and hindquarters and it is going to be affected by tension and imbalances from both areas.  I will loosen the back first, relieving any soreness and tension there before going to the area where I saw the major problem.  With the deep structural work, relieving the soreness in the body of the horse (especially the back) is just as effective at achieving mental relaxation as doing the endorphin points in the head first.  Also, many of a horse’s problems actually originate in the back because of rider imbalances and bad saddle fit.

A.  LONG BACK MUSCLES

      Horse Anatomy – A Coloring Atlas, plates 16 and 17

      The major muscles of this area of the back are the Spinalis dorsi, Longissimus dorsi, Iliocostalis dorsi and the thin fascia portion of the Latissimus dorsi.  Palpate all three of the muscles to determine if all are sore or just one or two.  Usually the sorest will be the one closest to the spine, the Spinalis dorsi.

Techniques

     If these back muscles are TIGHT, but not sore, you will use techniques that separate the muscles fibers in order that they can stretch more easily.

     Tight muscles can be “cemented” together either by lymph fluid that has pooled in a muscles or from scar tissue.  Appropriate techniques for these muscles if they are very tight (but not sore) would be friction and muscle combing.  The most effective direction would be across the fibers.  Circular friction also works well here.

     As the muscles begin to loosen or if they were just moderately tight, you can use a technique I call “press and glide”—a technique I use frequently.  I will use compression to push down into a muscle and then, either with the heel of my hand, finger tips or some type of “tool”, push through the muscle.  You can use this technique going across the muscle fibers, with the fibers or you can use a circular movement.  You will work your way down the muscles by pressing and then gliding a few inches, then repeat, working your way down the muscles.

      Tools that you could use would depend on the degree of tightness and could be the stiff, serrated rubber curry comb, the plastic “bristle” type of curry comb, some type of Grooma grooming tool or a mane comb.

      If these muscles are SORE, you will find that the best initial technique will be one that uses a simple press-release approach.  You would do simple compression using just your fingertips, working up and down the back muscles.  Go slowly and constantly explore how much pressure you can use.  Gradually, as the soreness decreases, you can use some effleurage using either the heel of your hand or finger tips.  It would be very unusual to use any tools on sore back muscles.   

     If you feel any obvious knots or hard spots in the muscles (chunks in your peanut butter) do trigger point massage in those places.

     One of my favorite approaches when working on sore backs is to stand on one side of the horse, reach over the backbone and use my fingertips to first push down into the muscle closest to the vertebrae, then pull towards the backbone (toward me).  I work my way down the muscle, moving an inch at a time (this does not work well with long finger nails).

      If, as you start your massage with the long back muscles, they do not seem particularly tight or sore, use either slow effleurage or friction in a circular motion and work your way down the muscles from withers to croup bone.  You will do this as a general loosening before going on to the problem areas.

B.   LOINS

            A Coloring Atlas – plates 16, 17, 6

      The lumbar area (loins) extends from the last thoracic vertebra to the croup bone.  This is the low back in the human body.  Remember that the last thoracic vertebra is way up underneath the saddle and the last rib arcs back from there; there is a lot more loin muscle than you may think.  The loins are heavier/denser muscles than those of the thoracic area, therefore require more massage pressure.

     The superficial muscles of this area are the same ones that I described in section A – the long back muscles, but I have divided the area into two sections because the feel in the muscles will be different here.  In the loins there are no bones supporting the spine, only muscles, so the muscles have to be stronger.

     There is a heavy, dense muscle under the long back muscles that is the major support for the lumbar vertebrae.  This is the Quadratus lumborum.  It is very deep and is not shown on most equine anatomy charts.  To get an idea of its structure and placement, look it up in your human anatomy book.

      Because of the strength and density of the Quadratus lumborum, it gives a different feel to the muscles in the loins.  Expect them to feel heavier, tighter and more dense.  Also, in this area, you can feel the outer edge of the Iliocostalis.  It will feel like a tight rope running between the last rib and the point of the hip.

Techniques

      If this area is not sore, but just TIGHT, brisk, cross-fiber friction is a good technique to use.  Also, cross-fiber compression works well.  This technique is done more slowly that friction.  In this you would press down into the muscle, push across it, then release.  Repeat this, moving over the loins.  It is usually helpful to use some kind of tool like the stiff rubber curry when working on the loins unless the area is very sore.  

      If the area is SORE, use as much compression as the horse can handle, moving slowly over the whole area.  “Press and glide” should work well, but if the muscles are very sore, just use fingertip compression (without the glide).

     Because of the density of the area, you may not feel the muscles of the loins soften as much as muscles in other areas, but, as they begin to release tension, the horse will start to shift its stance in response to your pressure.  As this happens, you will see the hind feet begin to move to a more squared position.  This will tell you that you have obtained good releases.  Also, the horse will begin to lower its head, chew and its eyes will soften.

C.   TOP OF HAUNCHES (gluteus muscles)          

    A Coloring Atlas – plates 16, 17, 33        

      There are three gluteus muscles in each side of the haunches, but only two are where they can be massaged.  These are the middle gluteus and the superficial gluteus.  For the purpose of massage, I will treat them as one entity and concentrate massage on the belly of the muscle as opposed to the origin or insertion.

     Some of the look of these muscles is going to be breed related (think Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred), but a lot of their development and condition is going to be the result of how a horse uses its body.

     These two muscles have something of a “tear drop” shape and fill the greater portion of the space on the top of the haunch, going from the edge of the pelvic bone to the hip joint.  These muscles are, by nature, power muscles.  They control the movement of the pelvic bone.  Their job is to support the pelvic bone, allowing it to drop down when they lengthen and bring it back to its normal position by contracting.  Proper lengthening and contracting of these muscles affects how well the hind legs swing back and forth, so if these muscles are tight, they will restrict the mobility of the hip joint.

Techniques

     If these muscles are TIGHT, a combination of cross-fiber friction, compression and muscle combing are effective.  The use of a stiff curry comb or mane comb works well on these muscles and protects your hands.

      These muscles can become extremely sore in a horse doing work that requires a great deal of forward/backward thrust, such as racing and jumping.  They are subject to pain from both stress points (at the origin) and trigger points (in the belly).  Review the photos in lesson 6—they show both.

     When these muscles are SORE, use the static pressure for stress points and trigger points, but you can also use finger tip compression in a press/release mode over the bulk of the muscles as well as connective tissue massage over the gluteal fascia ( A Coloring Atlas – plate 16).  As the soreness begins to subside, you can start some effleurage in gliding motions.

      A word of caution when working on sore gluteus muscles – the horse is very likely to kick.  They will usually kick out behind, but can just as easily kick forward.  Be careful.

     When working on these muscles, it is more effective if you can work from a position somewhat above and push down into the muscles; this is particularly true if the muscles are tight rather than sore.  Unless you are quite tall, you may find that standing on some type of stool or box will give you that height.

      Tension and muscle tone in the gluteus muscles can be a significant factor in the position of the pelvic bone.  The angle of a horse’s pelvis can vary greatly from a very flat position (common in some Arabians) to a much steeper angle (seen in some Quarter Horses and driving horses).  If the glutes are short and tight, they will contribute to holding the pelvis in a horizontal, flat position that inhibits the dropping of the pelvis as the legs swing forward. Then, all of the leg movement and thrust has to come from the hip joint; this puts a lot of stress on that joint.

     A very steep angle to the pelvic bone indicates that the glutes are being held in an extended position by their agonist muscles in the groin area.  This strong pull on the glutes will inhibit mobility of the hip joint.  You will see the problem as an over-extension of the gluteal muscles, but the real problem is elsewhere.  You will do massage that separates the muscles fibers of the glutes and prepare them for better contraction, but the solution will involve releasing tension in the muscles of the groin.

D.  CROUP BONE AREA       

      What we call the “croup bone” is actually the point where the two sides of the pelvic bone come together in the back.  (This is called the tuber sacral.)  The lumbar/sacral joint of the horse is under this junction of the pelvic bone.  (Review the important aspects of this joint from lesson two.)  In the human pelvis, the sacrum is held in place by the two sides of the pelvic bone, rather than being under it.  My thought about the difference in the placement of the lumbar/sacral joint of the horse would be that the horse needs a much greater range of motion in this joint and this placement allows that.

     When there is tightness or soreness in the gluteus muscles, the attachments around the “croup bone” will also be affected and there will be interference with the working of the lumbar/sacral joint beneath it.

     As part of loosening the haunch muscles, you will also want to work specifically all around the croup bone.

Techniques

      Use direct finger pressure that pushes down into the muscles all around this bony area.  You could also use friction.  The amount of pressure you use will depend on whether the area is tight or sore.

     If the horse has a steep croup angle, the haunches may flatten a little as the muscles release—this is good.

     If the horse has a steep croup angle and, in addition, the croup bone is very prominent (goose rumped), and the muscles around it do not seem to release well to your massage work, it is possible that there is a problem with the lumbar/sacral joint in which the sacrum has been pushed upward against the last lumbar vertebra.  This could very possibly indicate a chiropractic problem.

E.  UPPER HAMSTRING ATTACHMENTS                        

        A Coloring Atlas – plates 16, 17, 33

     The term “hamstrings” refers to three muscles that run down the back of the leg from the sacrum to the lower portion of the haunch. They are the Biceps femoris, Semitendinosus and the Semimembranosus.  These hamstrings and the quadriceps (quads) are the prime movers of the horse’s hind legs.  The quads pull the leg forward and the hamstrings pull the leg backward.

     As was shown in lesson 2 (Anatomy), the horse’s hamstrings go all the way up to the sacrum for their upper attachments rather than ending at the ischial tuberosity (seat bone) as ours do.  The Biceps femoris and the Semitendinosus attach to the sacrum in the area between the croup bone and the tail.  The upper attachment of the Semibembranosus is under the tail.  Be careful working this attachment.  

     As the leg is brought forward by the quads and the Tensor fascia latae, the hamstrings are lengthened by the pull of those muscles and this stretching of the hamstrings starts from all the way up along the sides of the sacrum.  Their contraction pulls the hind leg out behind the horse.

     These upper hamstring attachments are extremely important.  If they are tight, either in a short, contracted state or in a long, extended state, they limit the forward swing of the hind legs.  The massage work in this area goes in concert with sections C and D (top of the haunches and the croup bone).  

     If the horse’s croup is flat, tightness in these upper attachments is part of the problem and will usually be associated with short, tight gluteals.  The loosening that you’ll get with your massage will let these attachments stretch and will be an important part of allowing the pelvis to drop into a more normal position.

     If the croup has a steep angle, these muscles will be over-stretched, tight in the extended state rather than contracted.  They will need to be worked on as part of the over-all release of the hindquarters.

Techniques

     If these hamstring attachments to the sacrum are TIGHT, but not sore, do spot compression using thumb and finger pressure in a direct push into the muscle attachments along the edge of the sacrum from the croup bone to the tail.  Cross-fiber friction (with fingers or rubber curry) along the edge of the sacrum is another good technique.  If the attachments are very tight, try some muscle combing along the edge.

     If the horse is SORE in the gluteus muscles, then the hamstring attachments along the edge of the sacrum are very likely to also be sore.  If this is the case, your work along the edge of the sacrum will need to be lighter.  Try some light muscle combing with your finger tips, also do some thumb and finger compression; just don’t work as deep as you would on tight attachments.  When working on the Semimembranosus attachment under the tail, stand well to the side of the horse as you reach under the tail.  I usually reach under to the attachment on the other side since horses will usually react where they feel the pressure.  That way, if they’re going to kick, it will usually be with the leg on the other side from where I’m standing.  

F.   LOWER HAMSTRING ATTACHMENTS   

        A Coloring Atlas – plates 16, 17, 33, 34

      Tightness in the lower attachments, just as in the upper ones, will prevent a good forward/back stride in the hind legs, and tightness throughout the entire length of these muscles will produce more of an up/down movement and shorter strides.

     In some horses these muscles are naturally heavily developed and this is not necessarily a problem if the up/down motion is what a rider wants (Western pleasure), but you still want mobility in the hip joint so that the jog is fluid and smooth rather than tight and stilted.   Tightness in these muscles is a major problem if the horse’s work requires a big forward/back swing (galloping horses, jumpers).

     The largest and most accessible of the lower hamstring attachments are those of the Biceps femoris.  They will look like three lumps on the side of the lower part of the haunch, just behind the stifle joint.

      In addition to restricting forward movement of the hind legs, tight contracted lower attachments of the Biceps femoris can also rotate the stifle outward, causing the hind leg to swing forward in a sideways position.  This is a serious problem because it can interfere with the correct movement patterns of all three gaits—walk, trot and canter.

     The lower attachment of the Semitendinosus will be visible at the center back of the haunch, just above the hock.

      The Semimembranosus lower attachment will be just to the inside of the Semitendinosus, more to the inside of the leg.

Techniques

     I rarely find these lower hamstring attachments sore, usually they are TIGHT.  Effective massage techniques for the lower attachments of the Semitendinosus and Semimembranosus would be friction across the fibers, muscle combing and compression.  I particularly like to use a small rubber curry on these areas.

    The lower attachments of the Biceps femoris are more fleshy than those of the other two.  In addition to the above techniques, you could also use kneading.  Thought the name of this muscles, Biceps femoris, implies two attachments, there are actually three, make sure that you work on all of them.  Work across the three heads then work up the sections of the muscle toward the hip joint.  For this, you can use “compress and glide”.

     It also benefits the Semitendinosus and Semimembranosus if you used some deep effleurage up and down the length of these muscles.  They are normally under a lot of tension and this is a good way to separate muscle fibers and relieve some of that tension.    

G.   ADDUCTORS (the insides of the hind legs)                          

        A Coloring Atlas – plate 34 (this is a very good picture that shows many of the deeper adductors          

      Remember the description of agonist and antagonist muscles and how they work together to move bones away from their normal position and then back to that original position?  The muscles I’ve been describing up to this point have all had to do with moving the body parts in a forward/back motion (longitudinal extension and flexion).  They are called extensors and flexors.  But there are other agonist/antagonist muscle pairs that move bones sideways.  They are called abductors (move limbs away from the center line of the body) and adductors (move limbs back toward the center line).

     The horse’s adductors are a group of strong muscles on the insides of the hind legs that hold the hind legs close to the body.  They work with the abductors on the outside of the leg to move the leg sideways.  The abductors move it away from the body, and then the adductors move it back toward the body and under it.  They are very important for lateral movements.  The massage that you do on the muscles on the outside of the haunches will facilitate the abduction action of those muscles, but the adductors will have to be addressed on their own.

     The Gracilis muscles is the most superficial (closest to the skin) of the adductors and the one you will feel under your fingers, but it is a thin muscle and your massage will also be affecting the muscles under it.

      Sometimes these adductors will be so tight that you will have difficulty even getting your hand in between the hind legs; the use of your hands will be restricted and tools are not appropriate.

Techniques

      These muscles are usually TIGHT, rarely sore.  I have found kneading to be the best technique for loosening them.  It’s quite effective and will not irritate the sensitive skin of this area.  As you knead, you can also lean your shoulder against the haunch and do some rocking.

H.   QUADRICEPS (Quads)

  A Coloring Atlas – plates 17, 34

      After a contraction of the hamstrings pulls the horse’s hind leg back, it is the quadriceps (along with the Tensor fascia latae) that brings the leg forward by pulling the stifle forward.

      The quadriceps muscle group is composed of three vastus muscles and the Rectus femoris, but only two of these are accessible to us to massage.  One is on the outside of the haunch between the stifle and the hip joint (the lateral vastus).  The other is the medial vastus.  It is on the inside of the leg, going from the stifle up the inside of the leg.

The area around the stifle, especially on the inside, is a sensitive area.  Even if the horse is not particularly sore, it can be sensitive or even defensive in this area.  Keep this in mind as you work.   As much as possible, stand next to the haunch, not out in front of the stifle.  This is where I keep one hand or forearm on the horse’s body, just above the stifle, so that I can feel any upward movement of the leg and press down to defuse the kick and keep the leg down.

Techniques

      Lateral Vastus:  Around the stifle, use finger tips in a kneading motion and some fingertip compression around the top of the stifle.  Then, using either the heel of your hand or some type of stiff curry comb, work from the stifle upward to the area around the hip joint.  I primarily use a heavy back-and-forth motion (friction) going with the direction of the muscle fibers.  You could also use compression and deep effleurage, depending upon how tight the muscle is.  With any of these techniques, if you can use enough pressure to feel the femur under the muscle, you can separate the muscle fibers by pressing the muscle against the bone.  Also, do friction pressure all around the hip joint.

      Medial Vastus:  This is not an easy area to work on.  Most horses are sensitive about pressure on the inside of the leg as well as being worried about any pressure in the groin. If they are sore in this area, they can become pretty defensive.

      The skin in this area, like that between the hind legs, is soft and sensitive.  Tools are not appropriate.  I use mostly finger tip compression that pushes up into the muscle mass.  Once the horse accepts pressure in this area, you can support the outside of the femur with your shoulder or torso and use enough pressure to push this muscle against the bone for better muscle separation.  You can also do compression using the back of your fist or do kneading with your fingertips.  Again, try to stand next to the haunch, not out in front, and reach around to the inside of the leg.

      If the stifle rotates outward, balancing the tension between the lateral and medial Vastus will be crucial in bringing the stifle back to its correct anatomical position.  After working on both of these muscles, you can test the balance between the two by rocking the joint between your hands.  Rotating this joint back to its correct position will also involve having loosened and prepared all of the other muscles in the haunch to facilitate this rotation.  Work on the muscles in the groin area will also be involved.

Click Here For Part Two